The present invention relates generally to an optical wavelength division multiplexer and/or demultiplexer having a sufficiently low profile and low power requirements to be mountable in a pluggable module; one embodiment of the invention is mounted in a GBIC compliant housing or module. The pluggable module may be configured to plug into a host device either vertically or horizontally. The GBIC (gigabit interface converter) specification is herein incorporated by reference as though set forth in full.
The GBIC specification defines a common form factor and electrical interface. This pluggable transceiver module allows system builders to configure fiber links as required. GBIC modules provide hot-swap interchangeability and give net administrators the ability to tailor transceiver costs, link distances and configure overall network topologies to their requirements. The use of GBIC transceiver modules also leaves the door open for changing the network without the wholesale replacement of system level boards.
The present invention provides for the first time a low profile optical wavelength division multiplexer and/or demultiplexer capable of being mounted in a pluggable or removable module; one embodiment is mountable in a GBIC compliant module. The module in its transmission mode is able to reliably convert serial and/or parallel electrical signals inside the host equipment into serial and/or parallel optical signals to be sent across fiber optic cables. On the demultiplexing or receiving end, the optical transceiver receives the optical signal and converts it back into the electrical domain for transmission into the host device. The present invention provides a pluggable module mounted optical WDM capable of recovering the original signal even if it has been distorted along the fiber transmission path.
A primary object of the invention is to provide a low profile optical wavelength division multiplexer and/or demultiplexer mounted in a pluggable module insertable into a host device.
Another object of the invention is to provide a pluggable WDM module which can be configured to be plugged into a host device either horizontally or vertically.
Another object of the invention is to provide a low profile optical wavelength division multiplexer and/or demultiplexer mounted in a GBIC compliant housing and which is hot-swappable in accordance with the GBIC specification.
A further object of the invention is to provide a pluggable WDM module having a low profile which is facilitated in part by the use of a three strata optical subassembly (OSA) which, when assembled, does not require any post-assembly optical alignment otherwise required.
A further object of the invention is to provide a horizontally or vertically pluggable WDM module having a packaging scheme for its components wherein unwanted heat is efficiently transferred to a metallic housing and into the ambient air.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and the drawings wherein: